Alleged N57.4 billion fraud: Kano govt files charges against Ganduje, Garo, two others

Kano state government has filed N57.4 billion fraud charges against the immediate past governor of the state and APC national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, his commissioner for local government, Murtala Garo and two other persons.

The charge contains allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, false statement and criminal misappropriation.

The prosecution is to present no fewer than 143 witnesses during the trial, which is expected to commence in few days.

In the four-count charge sheet No.K/148c/24, the Abba Yusuf administration accuses Ganduje and the three others of being entrusted with the receipt and management of the 44 Local Government’s statutory allocations usually remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account.

The plaintiff also alleged that the accused persons unlawfully and criminally diverted the total sum of Fifty Seven Billion Four Hundred and Thirty Three Million Nine Hundred and Eighty One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixteen Naira (N57,433,981,816.00) through several personal accounts of Local Government’s Cashiers and other Personal and Cooperate Accounts.

The state government also accused them of transforming the funds into cash of United State Dollars and Nigerian Naira which they allegedly criminally appropriated same for  personal benefits out of which they fraudulently used the proceed, converted same into acquiring properties worth Billions of Naira including Kano Cotton Ginnery at Challawa Kano City, 200 Hundred  Bed capacity Hotel at Badawa Nassarawa Local Government Area Kano.

They are also accused of using the proceed to acquire a service apartment at Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen – x20868 Dubai in Tigerwood and plot 2201 Floor 22 Damac Height, Marsa Dubai Marina,  A Multi Billion Naira Hotel at Jabi, Abuja.

Others are: Filling Stations at Gwarzo Road Kano, Filling Station at Eastern Bypass Kano for their own  personal benefit causing wrongful gain for themselves and wrongful loss to the good people of the State, and the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State.

“The prosecution will at the trial of the Defendants adduce evidence to show that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants have used their offices in betrayal of their official trust between the period of 2020 to 2023 for self-enrichment.

“Using several personal accounts of Local Government’s Cashiers and other Personal and Cooperate Accounts in which monies are diverted from the statutory allocation of the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State are corruptly and fraudulently converted to acquire properties at both Kano, Abuja and even Dubai,” the trial sheet said.

The Nation